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Communication/Gesture
Dictionary
A
communication/gesture dictionary is
the written descriptions of a non-verbal
person's gestures and vocalizations,
along with their meanings and suggestions
for appropriate responses.
In "First Contact" David Hingsburger
writes:
"Become
an expert in that (their) language.
Working with a person with a significant
disability they may have twenty
two ways of saying "no". Learn them.
Document them. For every single
person with a significant disability
who uses some kind of "non traditional
communications" system, there should
be a communication dictionary that
is in active use. Entries should
be made with every discovery. It
should be a working document. Every
new person who comes into the house
should be introduced to the dictionary
and encouraged to add to it or help
shade meaning in some of the things
already noted. If it gathers dust
for more than a week, it's not being
used properly".(1)
To
develop the communication/gesture
dictionary you need to:
- observe
the person, if using a team approach
you will need to draw together people
(i.e. family, friends, care providers,
) close to the individual who may
have a better or more complete understanding
of how and what he/she communicates,
- write
a description of:
- what
the person does?
- where
he/she does it?
- when?
- what
it means?
- what
you should do?
-
review the dictionary at regular
staff meetings to ensure that all
the team members are aware of the
information in the communication/gesture
dictionary.
-
make the dictionary available to
family, friends, a care providers,
important others. . . . .
- remember
the dictionary is a working document
which means it needs to be updated
with each new discovery; review
the dictionary on a regular basis
and update as needed.
The
dictionary may be in the form of a
log, a poster on the wall, alphabetized
notebook with cross referenced entries.
. . . The dictionary should be easy
to use and detailed enough that a
new support person can understand
the wants, needs, ideas of the individual.
(Adapted
from: Augmentative and Alternative
Communication, Beukelman & Mirenda,
1992).,
1.
Hingsburger, David. "First Contact
- Charting Inner Space", Diverse City
Press, Eastman, Quebec (2000) pg.
30- 31.
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